


4 Universes they passed each other and 1 when it all worked out

by Kairin16



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5 Times, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Space, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-08
Updated: 2014-06-08
Packaged: 2018-02-03 22:48:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1758905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kairin16/pseuds/Kairin16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At some point they passed the receptionist desk when a thin, blond worker tried to explain to a burly man that he couldn’t use his son’s student ID to buy his own ticket. The employee had thick glasses and from the reddened nose at least one kind of allergies. Bucky hasn't noticed him at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	4 Universes they passed each other and 1 when it all worked out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silverfoxflower](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverfoxflower/gifts).



> Birthday gift from my lovely friend actualmenacebuckybarnes :3

There’s a huge botanical garden Bucky passes on his way to work every day. He’s never been inside, but the girls he invites over sometimes mention it and tell him how beautiful some plants inside are. Some of them are even tropical! It’s not Bucky’s not interested in flowers, only he’s not really interested in flowers. Between his job at the library, getting physical therapy for his arm, and trying to resuscitate his dying social life, he can’t find it in himself to care about some greenery, no matter how pretty.

It just so happens however that Lorraine, the girl he’s been kind of going steady for two months now is a type of person who likes going to different places every week. The weekend they were supposed to spend at her parents, but had to cancel, because her father got stomach flu, she decided they should see some green in a city of grey. Shooting down Bucky’s suggestion of a park, she bought them two tickets to the garden online and chatted at him about some rare plant the garden was supposed to have all the way there.

Bucky really wanted to care for it, since Lorraine seemed genuinely excited to see whatever magical plant there was, but he couldn’t really make himself. The garden was by now the piece of background that he was used to ignoring.

Then they went inside and a flock of butterflies flown right before Bucky’s eyes and he could admit that yeah, it was kind of cool after all. Lorraine was the one leading the way and surprisingly enough, as she was working in a city hall, she had quite a broad knowledge about botany. Maybe it would even prove useful for future gift hunting.  
At some point they passed the receptionist desk when a thin, blond worker tried to explain to a burly man that he couldn’t use his son’s student ID to buy his own ticket. The employee had thick glasses and from the reddened nose at least one kind of allergies. Bucky haven’t noticed him at all.

~*~

The bar was dark, the lamps around the room giving only enough light to put mysterious shadows on the room. There was a light on every table, but only enough to illuminate people sitting at it and the immediate area. The only really bright thing in the room was a stage where two girls and a young boy were dancing, curling their legs around silver poles and doing poses that Sam’s yoga teacher would be proud to see.

People from the office he came with were hooting and waving bills at the dancers. Sam was content to lean back in his seat and relax. After a month of stressful deadline chasing they all deserved some entertainment. Carol apparently thought so too, because she was swaying to the music near the left side of the stage where a dark haired girl was smiling at her warmly. Something told Sam that these two knew each other, but if it was the case the whole office would already know, since Carol was the worst at keeping secrets.

Something caught Sam’s eye at the bar so he turned back and saw Rhodey paying for the biggest, most colourful drink the bartender could probably do. He nudged Abigail sitting next to him and pointed before they both started laughing. Rhodey, finally noticing them, showed them an obscene gesture before sipping on his drink and making a pleased face. Sam only laughed harder, slipping his arm around Natasha leaning into his side.

The tall man with shaggy brown hair sitting next to Rhodey never entered his perception. Tattoed fingers accepted several bills from the older gentleman in a Prada suit. The man pushed his hair back and followed the older man outside, already slipping a rubber from his pocket.

~*~

The station was full of tourists this time of the year, so both Steve and Bucky working at the reception in the Stark Hotel and Spa had their hands full. Families with children were awful, but Steve secretly thought that it was the guests from Borealis who were the worst. Logically he knew they couldn’t help but leave the mucus they were covered in all over the counter, but when he had to wipe the silver titanium for the fifth time the same day logic was nowhere to be found.

They’ve got myriads of strange creatures as the customers for their hotel, and all of them had different needs, specific for their species. It was Steve’s job to put them all in the system, chose the best package and room and then warn them against amenities that could potentially hurt them. Then Bucky or another one of the bell boys took their baggage and lead them to the room Steve selected. It would be an easy job, if some of people visiting the station weren’t so desperate to be as difficult as they could be. They didn’t want to share allergies or triggers, or they wouldn’t listen when he was listing places they couldn’t go to for their own health, instead clicking their tongues at him impatiently, as if it was his fault they had special needs and had to be delayed.

During high season however, both Steve and Bucky had to sit at the counter, and sometimes Lorraine had to help them out too, because there was just too many people. If they left Steve alone then, the line would probably go back to the hangar.

The system was slowing down, unused to being used on three interfaces at the same time, just as Steve was trying to ring in a family of eight from Saturn. The kids looked tired and peaceful, but the parents were clearly getting impatient with his apologies. Struggling to reach chocolates with relaxing compound designed especially for these situations that were under the counter, Steve smiles his best smile and started his long winded apology again, the man of the family starting to yell at him to just hurry up.

At the third station, right next to Bucky who was trying to politely let down a female guest from Andromeda, Lorraine signed in a dark skinned man from Thanagar. His wings were drooping tiredly, the long plumage at the end sadly swiping against the tiles in the lobby, but the man still smiled for Lorraine when she called one of the bell boys and thanked politely for her service. She was quite pleased, since they hadn’t had that many polite customers during the peak hours in season.

~*~

The sea was calm, but it didn’t help the crew of Gold Eagle much, since the skies were just as calm, not even a breeze to propel them forward. Captain Steve Rogers leaned on the railing overseeing the deck, making sure that none of the bored sailors were getting into fights. It seemed they were drifting for months with how high the tensions have grown, but it wasn’t even a week since the last strong winds pushed them to the open waters.

Considering installing some kind of mechanism that would let them move the ship with oars in times like these, Steve accepted a glass of wine from Sam, his first-mate. Their supplies were dwindling and if nothing moved soon they wouldn’t get to the port in time. Maybe he should have accepted to try out Stark’s experimental propelling systems, instead of warily declining. They might have exploded together with the system when it inevitably malfunctioned, but maybe they wouldn’t be stuck in a situation like these ever again.

The worst thing was there was something weird about the sea around them. Usually, even the weakest currents were enough to push the boat forward at least some, but the point where they stood was completely still. Even the apple core Sam threw overboard yesterday was still floating unmoving next to the Eagle.

Just as Steve was afraid, it wasn’t long before a fight erupted on the deck, two sailors who should have known better pushing and pulling at each other. He shouted angrily at them to stop before realizing he would have to get involved before they listened. By some bad luck it was about time something hit the side of the boat making it sway and throwing about four of them aboard.

Kicking to the surface, Steve was cursing at their bad luck when something took hold of his legs and pulled down. He pulled out his sword, ready to fight with whatever creature was holding him, but before he could make any use of it, his hands were pinned to his side and he was looking into a grinning face of a merman.  
Few feet from Steve’s struggle, the most beautiful red-headed mermaid was eating the heart of one of his sailors.

~*~*~*~

Natasha closed the doors behind herself, jiggling the bags of take-out she picked up on her way back from the airport. She was supposed to be back from the mission in Latveria two days ago, but their plane was delayed because of political reasons that she was apparently not privy too. Yet, of course, since she was going to make sure Maria will tell her in detail why Natasha had to sleep on the airport bench for more than an hour.

One bag falling, Natasha cursed and dropped the keys, planning on how she could save it before a metal hand stabilized it and its owner took two bags away from her. She had time to only see his relieved smile before Bucky was pressing a kiss to her lips that she was more than happy to return. It was good to see his unshaven mug. She told him as much when they separated, just to see if he would laugh, the way he often did when Steve cracked some joke from seventy years ago.

They put the bags away and Bucky ushered her upstairs to the bathroom so she could take a shower and change into more comfortable clothes after her journey. It was a relief, to finally be home, and she let herself relax, sure that she was safe. Clothed in loose sweatpants and one of Sam’s loose T-Shirts she came down only to see all three of her guys digging into the food she brought at the counter.

She stole a kiss from Steve and moves to stand beside Sam who put his arm around her before kissing her temple.

“Welcome home, Tasha.” He murmured into her hair before throwing a napkin at Steve and Bucky who were arguing about ownership of spring rolls. Natasha smiled and settled their argument by taking them for herself.


End file.
